NDFB-R stares at split

A STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, Nov. 20: The Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB appears to be heading for a split with a group of its cadres — led by chief of Boroland Army (the armed wing of the faction) I.K. Songbijit — today announcing the formation of an “interim national council” and appointment of Songbijit as the “interim president”.

A statement, signed by Songbijit and emailed to the media today, stated that the “council (a decision making body of the party) has been formed for a term of one year and nine NDFB members have been elected to the interim council.”

According to the release, this decision was taken at the general meeting of the NDFB held on November 13 and 14 at an undisclosed location.

The meeting, which was chaired by Songbijit, also decided to appoint him as the interim president, the release said.

Sources in Assam police claimed that following this development, a split in the Ranjan Daimary faction of the outfit is imminent as the decision was taken at the general meeting without the knowledge or consent of Ranjan Daimary, who is at present lodged at Guwahati Central Jail. The release made no mention of Daimary.

It added that the meeting also unanimously resolved to appoint “captain” G. Bidai as the deputy chief of Boroland Army and “vowed to work and fight together with vigour and determination to liberate Boroland and the western southeast Asia (Northeast).”

According to police sources, Songbijit had come under the influence of Ulfa’s Paresh Barua and was in no mood to enter into any peace talks with the government.

“Ranjan Daimary is currently holding talks with the Centre’s peace interlocutor P.C. Haldar to prepare the groundwork for starting formal peace talks but Songbijit is opposed to it,” a senior police officer said requesting anonymity. He said he did not expect the development to impact the talks with Daimary.

“The recent killing of tea planter Adilur Rahman in Sonitpur district was also carried out by the group led by Songbijit without the knowledge or permission of Daimary, who has asked all his cadres to maintain unilateral ceasefire and not to carry out any subversive act for the time being,” the source said. “Already a rift has appeared in the Daimary faction and it is a matter of time for a formal split to take place,” he said.

The first split in the NDFB took place on December 15, 2008, when the general assembly of the outfit replaced its founder chairman Ranjan Daimary with a new leader, B. Sungthagra alias Dhiren Boro.

This decision was taken following the October 30 serial blasts, which is believed to have been triggered by Daimary.

However, 12 days after his removal, Daimary claimed that he was still the president of the outfit.

On January 1, 2009, the NDFB expelled Daimary for his alleged involvement in the serial blasts.

In the resultant split, one was led by Sungthagra and known as the NDFB (Ceasefire), and the other by Daimary. Subsequently, the NDFB (Ceasefire) came to be known as the NDFB (Progressive) and the other faction as the NDFB (Ranjan Daimary).